Ego Tribuo Vos Meus Vita
by RavenHeart101
Summary: Harry Potter would have died if he didn’t do this. So Draco puts his own life at risk in order to save someone he’s supposed to hate. Slash of the H/D kind. Give it a try... please?
1. Chapter 1

Ego Tribuo Vos Meus Vita

By: RavenHeart101

Summary: Harry Potter would have died if he didn't do this. So Draco puts his own life at risk in order to save someone he's supposed to hate.

Disclaimer: I don't believe I own anything to tell you the truth…

Warnings: This story is slash, which means that a homosexual relationship will be featured. If that bothers you please don't waste your time and mine by reading this. Kindly press the back button at the top of your screen and go read something of your interest.

A: N- Le sigh. I shouldn't be starting yet another story but I think this one wouldn't kill me to write. It's going to be angsty… I guess. I plan on it. I don't even know how I'm going to write this, or if it's even going to come out well. Well… good luck to me, yeah? This story is inspired by the songs "Missing" by Evanescence and "Every Time" by Britney Spears (yes I did just go there… but they both really fit…). The lines are meant to re-occur. No worries there. This is my first visit to this pairing and it's something that I really want to write a good story for.

If you would be kind enough to leave a review and tell me what you think that would be lovely. It would be nice to know if I should even carry on with this fantasy of mine.

* * *

"…Even though I'm the sacrifice,  
You won't try for me, not now.  
Though I'd die to know you love me,  
I'm all alone.  
Isn't someone missing me?"

* * *

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

He frantically shoved the potions ingredients from side to side. Left, right, up, down. He knew that Severus had to have put it somewhere.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

He threw open the cabinets, searching in vain for something that he prayed he could find.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

He held up the tiny bag triumphantly, running clumsily through the mess that he had created. Severus would just have to forgive him.

Bangs. Yells. Screams. Curses.

He dropped it in. Fire clouded his vision for a second as it mixed. And mixed. Then the fire died down. He knew the next step. He took one glance at the doorway, grabbing the knife and sprinting out of the room. Down one hallway, then down another.

Bangs Yells. Screams.

There! He skidded to a halt. The Dark Lord with his snake like face didn't even bother giving him a glance. And behind him, just where he could reach, was Harry Potter. The boy was barely breathing, that much could be told by the injuries that scattered his body. He steeled himself with a deep breath, leaning down next to the teenage war-hero. He would still be a hero. If Draco had anything to do with it.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

The knife appeared out of Draco's pocket and he didn't even bother closing his eyes as he cut into the Boy Who Lived. Harry Potter's green eyes burst open, startled as the knife dragged into his arm. The blonde boy swallowed thickly, wondering what it must be like to be the hero's position for only one second. He gripped the knife tightly, pulling it away from the Gryffindor's arm. He caught the blade with his own hand slitting the precious skin that lay there. "Vestri cruor est mei." He muttered as he dragged it down the length of his palm. The blood mixed.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

He didn't give himself anytime to dwell on how much their blood looked alike. He stood to his own feet wearily and took off running back down the hallway. Back towards the room he had left his precious potion.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

He nearly tripped over a dead body when he pushed his way into the potion's classroom. Someone he knew. Someone he had gone to school with. One of his best friends. Draco shut his gray eyes, suppressing the grief that crept up his spine. It wouldn't matter who it was. He'd be joining them in death soon enough.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

He poured the potion into the only goblet that was left undestroyed in the potions lab. His hand never even shook.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

He took one long sip of the potion, only pausing to gag at the taste. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, pushing down the bile that was rising up his throat. "Vestri vulnus es mei."

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

A shudder of pain racked his body and he let out a small moan as he hugged his stomach. There was only one more part of the spell. But he needed to see it work. He picked up the knife with its glittering handle of silver and green gems. There was a small snake carved into the blade. He shuffled to the door, throwing it open with what little strength he had left.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

There were countless dead bodies. Countless people dying. No one had even noticed that their hero was close to death, and with his death came their own.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

Or maybe they did notice. People were fighting like hell around the fallen hero. No one noticed the lone Slytherin standing off to the side with a bloody dagger in his hand. No one but Severus.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

The potion's master's usually emotionless eyes widened at the sight of his godson. He wasn't supposed to be here. Draco was supposed to be gone. Draco cast him a small smile before his lips formed words of an ancient spell. "Ego tribuo vos meus vita." His mind worked in overtime to translate what Draco had muttered. Then it formed. _I give you my life._ He was giving Harry bloody Potter his life!

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

"Draco no!"

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

Harry Potter breathed his last breath.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

Too late. He was too late.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

The knife flew into his stomach, stopping the potion's master from running any further. As the knife penetrated flesh Harry Potter gasped and flew up into the world of the living. Hermione screamed, running towards him in a flash. The Gryffindor grabbed blindly for his wand.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

A flash of green light.

Bangs. Yells. Screams.

_Silence. _

Silence.

Silence.

Then the world caught up with itself.

Cheers. Tears. Happiness.

Severus caught up with himself, running over to his godson's side in worry. His fingers searched out a pulse desperately. "You insolent child." He whispered, cursing the very being of the hero's savior. No one would know what Draco had done.

Cheers. Tears. Happiness.

"Oh God." Lupin sounded choked up as he kneeled beside the potion's master. "There has to be something…" He whispered desperately. "We have to do something, Severus." He looked about ready to cry. The potion's master shook his head a bit, closing his pain filled eyes for only a second to compose himself.

"He needs to see Madam Pomphry."

Cheers. Tears. Happiness.

Hermione screamed as Harry Potter collapsed. "Both of them." He whispered.

Cheers. Tears. Happiness.

The war was over. The Light had one. The Dark Lord was dead. 

_Ego tribuo vos meus vita. I give you my life.

* * *

_

A:N- I'll hopefully post the next chapter tonight. If not, look for it tomorrow.Please... pretty please review. I know this chapter was written like crap... but... it'd be nice to know what people think. -shrugs- Do you want me to continue with this story at all?


	2. Chapter 2

Ego Tribuo Vos Meus Vita

By: RavenHeart101

Summary: Harry Potter would have died if he didn't do this. So Draco puts his own life at risk in order to save someone he's supposed to hate.

Disclaimer: I don't believe I own anything to tell you the truth…

Warnings: This story is slash, which means that a homosexual relationship will be featured. If that bothers you please don't waste your time and mine by reading this. Kindly press the back button at the top of your screen and go read something of your interest.

A: N- "_Ego tribuo vos meus vita_" is Latin for "_I give you my life_." Or at least that's what the translator tells me. This chapter is inspired by the songs "Cold" by Corinna Fugate and "Hello" by Evanescence.

* * *

"It feels like I'm floating away and it seems  
I've become my own prey

It's cold, cold, cold  
Out of control."

* * *

It didn't bother him that much, Harry concluded. The fact that he had killed someone didn't bother him that much. As far as he saw it the Dark Lord wasn't a person, he wasn't human. Therefore, Harry decided, he shouldn't waste any time dwelling on the fact that he had killed him. The problem was _how_ he killed him. As far as Harry knew, and as far as anyone had told him, he was just about dead when he sprung back to life, all of his injuries gone and with renewed vigor. It just couldn't be explained. To anyone. Most of all to Harry himself.

He had come to conclude that it must have been from some miracle that he survived. It seemed as if his destiny had truly been carved in stone for him.

_But how did he survive? _

That question kept him up at night as he lay in the infirmary. How the hell had he survived? He knew the extent of his injuries were horrible. He knew that he most definitely would have died had someone not intervened. _But who intervened?_

The feeling that crept up his spine the moment the Dark Lord was gone was one that Harry had refused to listen to until now. The feeling felt almost too good. He felt almost too alive to be someone who had suffered from various dark curses. He had felt something on his tongue, tasted something. It tasted like copper, like dried blood. Only his mouth wasn't bleeding. In fact, the only evidence that there had been a war around him was the fact that his scar was bleeding. _Why was he alive? _

Harry was almost certain it was Dark magic that saved him. But the problem was _how could dark magic have saved him_? How could _anything_ had saved him? Harry was absolutely fixed on the fact that he would have died. That he was _supposed_ to die. So why was he still alive?

Harry shook his head lightly, dropping back onto the pillows. There was little to no point in asking someone about it, he would surely not be given an answer. He sighed angrily and turned on his non-injured side with no small amount of caution. Hurt classmates were in the beds around him; however none of them were receiving the same amount of attention as the one on the complete opposite side of the room. The one that was stuffed as far away as it could get in the crowded Hospital Wing.

It was night and the hospital wing was as quiet as anyone could hope for. Everyone but Harry and the mysterious person in the corner had been fed the Dreamless Sleep Potion. Harry because Professor Dumbledore wanted to have a word with him, the other person for reasons unknown to the boy hero. It was so quiet, in fact, that Harry could hear a bit of what the teachers surrounding the un-known person were saying. There was Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, Professor Flitwick, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Andromeda Tonks, Cornelius Fudge and Professor Dumbledore. Harry couldn't find himself to be more curious than he was.

"How serious are his injuries, Poppy?" Professor Dumbledore was speaking in grave tones, all traces of happiness gone from the old man's voice.

"Serious enough." Poppy Pomfrey sounded just as grave.

"What in the world happened to this boy, Albus?" Professor McGonagall seemed outraged, worried, something that stilled Harry almost instantly.

"It seems to be dark magic, Minerva." Professor Flitwick's squeaky voice said simply.

"Why, is it true?" She cast her eyes on the potion's master beside her.

"Yes." Was the short answer she received.

"Who cast it on the boy?" She asked once more, her eyes trailing back to the Headmaster.

"I'm afraid that I don't know." He gazed at the werewolf who had his tawny head in his hands.

"He did." Professor Snape said slowly, gathering the attention back onto himself.

There was a collective gasp, and Harry had to smother one himself. Who would cast dark magic on themselves? For what reason?

"For what reason?" McGonagall seemed outraged, angry even.

There was a moment of silence. It lasted so long that Harry was beginning to think that the conversation was over.

"To save Harry." The words were whispered so softly that Harry didn't even believe that he had heard them.

"That's perpos-"

"Potter would have died if he had not intervened." Snape snarled out, his voice thick with anger at whatever McGonagall was going to say.

"But dark magic honestly couldn't have been the only way!"

"It was the only way he knew, Minerva." Professor Dumbledore whispered, his hand resting on the un-known person's hair.

"With all the dark magic that was going through Harry's veins I'm not sure if anything _but_ dark magic could have saved him." Andromeda Tonks said stiffly.

Another moment of silence spread throughout the infirmary. Thoughts spun through Harry's mind. _To save Harry. To save Harry._ To save him. Whoever it was nearly died to save him… he was going to die and someone thought that it his life deserved to be saved. But who could it have been? He had seen most of his friends in the infirmary with him. Hermione was in the room next to his, Ron was in the hospital that had been set up in the burrow, Neville was at St. Mongos with Luna, Seamus was somewhere in this room with him along with Dean… so who was left? Ginny? But wouldn't the Weasley's be with her if it was? And she definitely wouldn't be a him… so who could it be?

Harry drew a blank. Who cared enough for him to sacrifice their life for him? His head was spinning when Professor Dumbledore caught his attention. "How are you feeling Harry?" The Headmaster whispered, taking a seat at his seat. Harry noted with some crazy amount of insanity that this was the exact hospital bed that he had been seated in after his run in with Voldemort in his first year. He also noted that Dumbledore had been sitting in that exact seat that day. That day he had told him about Neville's parents. Harry swallowed.

"As well as can be expected, sir." He answered, only just noticing then how raspy his voice was.

"Ah. If you are in pain, Harry then I suggest you take another one of those potions Poppy has left out for you."

Harry shook his head. "No, sir, I'm not in any pain."

"Good. Good."

They were silent for a bit, both mulling over their thoughts. "Professor? May I ask you a question?"

The old man snapped back into his mind, gazing down at Harry. "Yes, my boy?"

"How did I survive?" Harry's green eyes were narrowed as he asked, his voice holding no small amount of curiosity. "I mean… Sir I knew I was going to die. With the amount of pain… I just stopped feeling after a while." He looked ashamed at the fact that his body had gone numb. "I… how did I survive, sir?"

Dumbledore met his eyes head on, crystal blue meeting emerald green. "My boy… someone cared about your life deeply." He whispered, patting down Harry's dark locks.

"Enough to take away their own?" Harry's eyes landed on the bed in the far corner before darting back to Dumbledore, who didn't look surprised in the least. "You said that they had used dark magic-"

"Ancient magic, my boy. Not necessarily dark."

"Whatever." Harry dismissed, catching both of them off guard. "But I knew I was going to die, sir. How in the world could they have saved me?"

Dumbledore was silent for a long time, regarding the wall beside Harry with a look that was miles away. "By giving you their life, Harry."

Harry was stunned as Dumbledore patted the mess that Harry called hair and stood up to leave. "Who sir…?" _Who would give up their life in exchange for mine?_

"It is not my place to say, Harry. Goodnight." He left the Hospital Wing with those words. Harry sat back against the pillows, his thoughts speeding through his mind. Madam Pomfrey was still awake, and bustling around the infirmary like a mother hen, checking everyone's vitals, effectively stopping Harry from looking at the bed on the far side of the infirmary… as far away from Harry as was allowed.

He forced himself into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

_Cold_. He was _cold._ Out of everything that he should have been feeling, cold _shouldn't_ have been one of them. Death surly wasn't supposed to be _cold_. "Whatever are we to do with him?" A tiny voice whispered to his left. "Surly he can't stay here."

"Until his body has healed he must."

"Oh, but this is such a lonely place. Why… with only us, Nex."

"He will be released, Anima."

A sigh. "He's so lovely…" A caress. Draco forced his eyes open, glancing around himself hopelessly. No one was there. His breathing caught up, going at frantic speeds. "Oh, Nex! We must do _something_!"

"And revel ourselves?! No. Not now Anima."

"Well… then I'll just do so myself." A ripple of the dark air, Draco wasn't even sure how he could _tell_ it was a ripple.

"Anima! No one has ever laid eyes on us-"

"And such a _boring_ life it has been, Nex." Another ripple.

"Anima…" The other voice warned.

A small laugh, a delicate laugh and then another ripple of air. A body formed, first the outline than the whole thing. It was a woman, with curly brown hair. Her skin was a pasty pale and her eyes a big green blob. She had wide, pink lips and a birthmark at the corner of her chin. She almost looked like a goddess. She smiled down at him; her hand finding its way to his blonde hair. She ran her hand down the locks, sitting on the side of his bed. Suddenly he was able to breathe again, the breaths coming at a much normal pace. "I'm Anima." She said softly, blinking down at him.

He felt compelled to answer her. "Draco." He whispered, his voice couldn't go much louder than that.

"Ah." She smiled once more at him. "The dragon."

A snort resounded in the air around them. "Anima."

She smiled lightly at Draco, not even turning her head as she spoke to the unseen being. "Why don't you show yourself, Nex. It's not going to kill you to show some humility."

Another snort. "Now why would I show myself to such as lowly creature as a human?"

"He's a beautiful creature. You should show yourself." A small sigh and another ripple in the air. It was at the edge of Draco's bed and Anima's hand continued to caress the skin at this chin when the being finally showed itself… or would it be himself? Short, brown, spiky hair and a tan face appeared out of thin air. He had light blue eyes and a scowling glare that pulled his lips downward. His arms were crossed in an angry manner. "This is Nex, Dragon." She whispered gently, finally turning her eyes to the man. _Dragon._ His godfather called him that.

"Sev…" Draco croaked out, his gray eyes clouding over in anguish. Had his godfather made it out alive?

The two adults traded looks. Anima closed her eyes and then reopened them. "Who?"

Draco swallowed. They didn't know… did that mean that Severus wasn't alive anymore? Then something occurred to him… did the spell work? He opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off by Nex. "It is time he go, Anima."

The woman looked saddened and her eyes clouded over in despair. "But he's only just joined us…" She whined, touching his silky hair once more. "Be strong Dragon." She whispered to him.

"See you later kid." Nex muttered, giving Draco a sideways look. Draco didn't understand.

"What's-?"

Anima smiled at him and gripped his hand close to her chest. "Shh." She leaned close and whispered into his ear. "Exspectata ut prosapia, Dragon." She whispered, placing a small kiss to the side of his head. Confusion etched into Draco's face as she pressed a cold piece of metal into his hand. She pulled away quickly before both beings rippled out of existence.

"You back in the world of the living, Mr. Malfoy?" He only slightly recognized the voice. It was one belonging to a woman, but it wasn't nearly as peaceful as Anima's.

He blinked open his eyes, the figures of two humans blurring before his eyes. "Sev…" He whispered, moaned actually, reaching blindly for the only person who could possibly offer him any amount of comfort.

"Right here Dragon." Severus Snape whispered, squeezing the teenager's hand gently. This was a different side of the potion's master, one that only a few people had ever been allowed to see.

"Now, Mr. Malfoy, follow my finger." A blurred waving of a pale thing before his eyes. That was a finger…? He followed it anyway; sure enough it was what she had wanted. "Good, good." She clucked, writing something down on the clip-board in front of her. She walked away, and Draco felt more than saw Severus Snape beside him. The potion's master got to his feet, placing a hand on either side of Draco.

"Why did you do it?" He asked sternly, his voice staying in its usual thick voice.

Draco avoided the man's black eyes, pretending to not know what he meant. "I don't know what you're talking about, Sev."

The man glared at him, his black hair falling into his eyes. "Draco…"

"Sev… I don't have any idea what you're talking about." Draco whispered, raising his eyes to his godfather's. Severus seemed surprised. "I seem to have a memory lapse."

Severus pulled away from his godson, the confusion melting from his face. "This is a deep hole you're digging yourself into, Draco. I hope you can make it out alive."

* * *

A: N- Thank you all for reviewing! Just as a warning to people, I don't have this story actually plotted out, I have ideas and points that I want to hit but that's all. I just let things flow. I'm sorry if the last chapter was confusing to some people and I hope this chapter is better than the one before. I hope you enjoy it and please review… they make me very happy. -smiles and huggles-

Oh and Anima was mirrored after Rachel McAdams and Nex was mirrored after Michael Weatherly. Just in case anyone was wondering.


	3. Chapter 3

Ego Tribuo Vos Meus Vita

By: RavenHeart101

Summary: Harry Potter would have died if he didn't do this. So Draco puts his own life at risk in order to save someone he's supposed to hate.

Disclaimer: I don't believe I own _anything_ to tell you the truth…

Warnings: This story is slash, which means that a homosexual relationship will be featured. If that bothers you please don't waste your time and mine by reading this. Kindly press the back button at the top of your screen and go read something of your interest.

**A: N-** "_Ego tribuo vos meus vita_" is Latin for "_I give you my life_." Or at least that's what the translator tells me. This chapter is inspired by the song "Never to Know" by Lene Marlin.

**A: N: N- **Anima is mirrored after Rachel McAdams and Nex is mirrored after Michael Weatherly. Just in case anyone was wondering. Forgive me for the long wait and for the short chapter. I've had a lot going on, with school and being sick and course registration and being tired and writers block. No real excuse… I blame the writers block for this being a crappy chapter. Wanna review for it anyway?

* * *

"…Have you seen the way he acts sometimes  
And when you ask,  
he'll say that he's okay.  
Have you seen how well he pretends  
Laughs out loud,  
before he looks away…?"

* * *

The fog that filled the young Malfoy's mind was welcomed. The fog was pretty much the only thing that was keeping him sane. Not that he was sane to begin with; he had heard how insane he was enough times from Severus to know that the Potions Master was right. Draco wished terribly that he could return to whatever dream world he had visited in his sleep. He wished terribly that he could just disappear and never return. This was what was supposed to happen. His life for someone's more important. No one was supposed to know, and no one was supposed to interfere. At this Draco did scowl. His gray eyes narrowed in anger as he shifted in the hospital bed. There was rustling all around the Hospital Wing, and Draco was supposed to be resting. But how could he rest when there was light streaming in through the windows?

The wooden door that led into the busy area opened with a small squeak. Footsteps made their way over to his corner and Draco shifted once more. He didn't want to see who it was. He didn't want to answer anymore questions then was necessary. Quite frankly, Draco didn't want to do anything. He wanted to just whither on the bed he was laying on and die. The white curtain was pulled back just enough to allow his visitor access. "Draco…" The old man's voice was filled with anguish and Draco found himself glaring at the side of the curtain that he was facing.

Albus Dumbledore sat where Severus had sat when Draco had woken up. The light wizard placed his hand on the bed sheet before him, the twinkle in his blue eyes gone. Draco remained quiet. "I cannot say that I understand why you did it, Draco."

Draco forced himself to answer. He forced his voice to stay calm and measured and steady. Just the way his father had taught him. "Why I did what, sir?" He tried to sound innocent. He tried to be everything he was not.

Dumbledore let out a loud sigh, his hand smoothing down the sheets. "He was out of the world of the living, my boy. You should have just let him die."

Draco glared at the white curtain in front of his eyes. The curtain almost matched his hair. Matched how his skin was supposed to look right about now and Draco hated every part of it. "And let the Dark Lord win? Whether Potter lived or not is not the question, _sir_."

"Then whatever is the question, my boy?"

"I would have died either way. It doesn't matter that I saved him in the process. My useless life for one that actually means something."

"Oh, Draco." The Headmaster sounded ready to cry and for that Draco hated him. He didn't need the old man's sympathy; he had learned and understood his path a long time ago. He had stopped living the day he was born. "What you did was incredibly selfless. What Harry will do once he discovers-"

Draco turned his eyes toward the Headmaster fiercely, anger clouding over the gray orbs. "Potter will not find out a thing, Headmaster."

"Of course, my boy. Of course."

* * *

Harry pulled away from the white curtain in shock. His green eyes were wide with disbelief and his hand floated in the air. Out of all the people who could have saved him, it had to have been _Draco Malfoy_, didn't it? Harry wanted to know, more than anything, what caused the Slytherin to do such a thing almost more than he wanted to know _how_ he had done it. The office door banged with the exit of Madam Pomfrey and Harry rushed back to his bed. His mind was swirling, the thoughts mixing together in perfect harmony.

Harry had to say something. He had to thank him in _some way_. But in what way? Malfoy didn't want him to know, and in a weeks time school would be over and they would be released. And what then? Wait until next year? Their last year? No, Harry would make some effort to get Malfoy to accept his thanks. But the blonde had seemed so adamant about Harry not knowing that it was causing quite some difficulty for Harry to come up with any way of thanking him.

He glanced to his right, at the book Hermione had brought when she came to visit with Ron the day before. They both looked a little worse for the ware but they were happy and together and as far as Harry knew that was all that mattered. They were his best friends and he was happy that they could find some sort of happiness together. If only he could find that sort of happiness.

His mind shifted to the brief fling he had had with Ginny before the war started and he set off to train for the final fight. Which with what he had heard about so far, was pretty much lost before Malfoy's intervention. Harry frowned and turned on his side, at the rate the war was going plenty of people should be thanking Malfoy.

Harry sighed and turned onto his other side, looking idly at the photo album that sat on the bed side table. Remus had dropped it off when he came to visit around an hour ago and had thought that Harry was asleep. He felt bad for his previous professor. The werewolf had lost so much. First his own parents- which Harry had learned about from Andromeda Tonks when they were hiding out at her house- and then James and Lily and Harry himself. From what he was told he was close to Remus when he was a baby. All in one day everything had been ripped away from the man. He not only lost his sudo-family but he lost Sirius and he had believed that Peter was dead. Then he got some semblance of it back when Harry was thirteen but lost Sirius again the moment he had began to get a grasp. The werewolf was all Harry had, though, and the two had grown close in the wake of Sirius' death. The photo album was actually Remus' from when he was younger and Harry couldn't help but look at it at great length when he had first caught sight of it.

"It's never ending." Remus had told him when Harry asked how he found room to put recent pictures in it. "A nifty spell James made. So long as you have memories and pictures it'll grow." He had gifted it to Harry that evening and Harry promised himself that he'd make his only remaining father figure proud. But was that what Malfoy had tried to do? Had he tried to make his father proud? Did he even care about his father enough to worry about making him proud? Harry shook his head again, annoyance contorting his features. It was back to Malfoy again. That seemed to be all he could think about. And that thought troubled Harry more than anything else.

It seemed as if all that Harry needed to be done was someone to save his life and then he'd be attached to them. Attached to trying to figure out why. Harry stared up at the perfectly white ceiling of the Hospital Wing and willed himself to sleep once more.

* * *

"Good evening, Mr. Malfoy." Severus Snape greeted from the side of Draco's hospital bed. Draco blinked, turning his head to the side and glancing at the Potion's Master. The man had his back towards him and was fussing with something on the bed side table.

"Good evening, Professor." Draco answered curtly, pushing down his curiosity at what the man was playing with. When Severus pulled himself away from the table Draco noticed a series of potions, arranged in a certain order, tallest to shortest, brightest to lightest, most dangerous to most effective. Draco knew the drill.

"Your school work is in your bag, Mr. Malfoy." Draco gazed at him, confused about the Potion's Masters open hostility that no one had ever shown him, only every other student.

"Severus… Why… why are acting so-?"

"Hostile?"

"Guarded."

The man gazed at Draco with an aged look in his black eyes. "Why are you?" He took a seat beside him, at the only offered chair. "You understand what implications the Ministry is going to make, right Draco?"

"Yes." He whispered.

"The implications that will be made against your mother and father?"

"Yes." He whispered again.

"The implications that will be made against you?"

"Yes, Sev." An annoyed edge crept up into his voice.

"The implications that will be made against Hogwarts and, more importantly, the Slytherins?"

"_Yes_, Severus." He shot his Professor an annoyed look, noting how a small smile was coming onto his face. The man fought it down, glaring at the boy, an amused look in his eyes.

"The Order of the Phoenix wishes to speak with you, too, of course." Severus was all business at the moment.

"Which means Dumbledore." Draco said miserably.

Severus smirked down at him. "And a few others, yes."

"Others like…?"

"Like Nymphadora Tonks and her mother."

Draco almost winced at the mention of his long lost aunt and cousin. "Anyone else I should know about?"

"An old professor and Author Weasley."

Draco groaned, hiding his face in his arm. "Lupin and Weasley? Does Dumbledore wish to torture me?"

"Lupin will keep an eye on you, and I was under the impression that Andromeda Tonks seemed to wish that you should have a familiar face in the crowd."

"You?" Draco asked hopefully.

"If you wish."

He fought back a relieved smile and, instead, settled for a sigh. "Thank you, Severus."

His godfather patted the bed covers gently, pushing himself up from the chair and straightening out his robe. "Get some sleep, Draco."

"Can… can you… stay?" Draco asked sheepishly, hating how weak he felt and sounded.

Severus shook his head slightly. "Not now. I will come back… after classes. Where the shadows are the darkest."

"It's not the shadows that scare me."

"Potter has been advised to stay away."

"Sev-"

"As I have advised Dumbledore to do."

"_Not them_."

Severus looked confused for a moment, racking his brain for things that Draco could have been talking about. Then he remembered Draco's childish fear of small places. "Draco…"

"It's too small, Sev…" Draco whispered in fear, shifting in his bed to hide his face.

The Potions Master looked at his godson in concern and pity. "I'll see what I can do. Maybe by tomorrow these godforsaken curtains can be gone."

"Thank you, Sev." Draco muttered into the pillow.

When Draco fell asleep that night he was by himself. No one sat beside him other than a present brought in by Pansy while he had dozed. The other Slytherins would have brought things too, Draco was sure, if they weren't worried about their families. Yes, it was true that Slytherins were closer than nearly all the other houses at Hogwarts, but, more importantly, they knew when not to be seen with certain people at certain times. And the papers pointed an accusing finger at all the Malfoys.

When he slept he dreamt of Death. Death's office to be exact. A row of columns full of blank stares and screams frozen in time. A desk that sat at the end of long hallway with a single chair sitting against it. A single piece of parchment and a pen at on the desk in dimed light. The only light in the small room came from the row of columns. He took a step closer to the desk, his hand reaching out to touch the paper when a bright light suddenly filled the room. He turned his head to stare into the bright light and smiled at what he saw. "You shouldn't be here, Draco." Anima muttered softly, a smile curving her lips.

Joy filled Draco's gray eyes and he fought down a smile, running to meet her at the end of the hallway. "I missed you."

She embraced him, her curly brown hair rubbing against his cheek roughly, her dark purple nails gripping his white blonde hair. "I missed you too, my child." He pulled away from her with a smile splitting across his face. Her hand rested on his pale cheek, a kind look shinning in her eyes. "Now." She shifted her gaze, turning to stare in the direction of the desk. "Come." She tugged on his hand. "This is Nex's room. He'll chew me out if he catches me in here." They walked out of the office of that belonged to Nex and into another hallway, this one longer than the last. "We should go into my rooms." He followed her, trusting her completely, more than he had trusted anyone else in his life.

They ran down another hallway, this one longer and more complicated than the last. Draco frowned, wondering when they would arrive at Anima's rooms when she pulled him into a room. It was smaller than he expected and Draco found his breathing almost increasing at the small space. Anima gripped his hand, smiling at him and sitting down on the bright blue bed, pulling him down beside him. "Now, Draco." She looked at him excitedly. "I want you to tell me all about yourself."

Draco gazed at her in curiosity. "Why do you want to-?"

"Just tell me, everything Draco." Anima said sternly, gripping his hand in a vice like grip. He looked at her, a small amount of fear creeping up his spine. A warning bell rang through mind, but Draco pushed it back. He could trust her. She was the only person in his life that he could trust, other than Severus, that was. So he told her everything. Spilling out his life story as if he was a bottle of water. He skipped a few minor details and she never noticed. When he got the age of eleven Draco skipped over his father's training sessions. He told her about his friends and his enemies. His fears and his wants. He truly told her… everything. Well… _almost_ everything. By the time they finished Draco was getting noticeably dizzy, a signal recognized by Anima as it being his time to leave. She frowned, coming to a decision.

"Draco… when I was… when I was as high up as Nex, I was given something- a child- two children to be precise. A daughter and a son. My daughter died from a disease. A mortal disease. My son… he was murdered. I punished the people who killed him, and for that reason alone, my son was never allowed to move on. The Lord wouldn't allow it." She said the last line bitterly, glaring at the wall where a single cross hang. Her eyes fell back on his confused ones, all the bitterness disappearing after a short while. "My son… he has been doomed to be one of the few souls reincarnated generation, after generation, after generation." She took his hand in hers, a soothing look clouding her features.

"Draco… I have never been able to see my son, never been able to hold him. And this is starting to aggravate me." She leaned forward, both hands gripping his and her fixing him with a sorrow filled look. "Tell me, Draco… will you help me find my son?"

Her eyes pulled him in, pulled him away from the sorrows and the anger and the fear that he had felt before she had asked him this one question. He didn't know what else to do, what else to say. So he nodded, calm piercing through his every bone. A smile spread across her face and then he awoke.

* * *

**A: N- **So… recap: Draco saves Harry's life because he decided that if he was going to die someone with a purpose should live. Draco tells Dumbledore this and Harry overhears. Harry wants to thank him but doesn't know how. Draco gets warned by Severus of the implications the Ministry will make and of the Order wanting to speak with him. Draco's claustrophobia is revealed More on _that_ later. Draco finds Anima again, and strikes a deal. Oh… whatever can happen next?


End file.
